Anne Quatrano may have been born and raised in Connecticut, but after 21 years in Atlanta, she's an expert in Southern hospitality. The chef, who co-owns the restaurants Bacchanalia, Floataway Café, Quinones, and Abattoir with her husband, shares more than 100 recipes for seasonal entertaining in the new cookbook Summerland ($39.95, Rizzoli). For the holidays, she suggests serving up this eggnog—either with or without alcohol—alongside cookies for dessert. Cheers!

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks while gradually adding the sugar until the mixture is thick and glossy; this should take 10 minutes. If using alcohol, add it now, then add the milk and 2 cups of the cream, while mixing constantly on low speed. (This mixture can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. A covered glass container is best for storage. Refrigerate the egg whites, covered, separately.)

Just before serving, transfer the yolk mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the egg whites on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until they form soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped whites into the yolk mixture. In the bowl of the stand mixer (you do not need to clean it), whisk the remaining 1 cup heavy cream on high speed until it forms soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg base mixture.

To serve, pour the eggnog into 6-ounce glasses and grate a bit of nutmeg on top of each.

And if you're in Atlanta, stop by Quatrano's gourmet cook's larder, Star Provisions, to stock up on tasty gifts for the foodies in your life.